Railway-traffic-controlling apparatus



March 20, 1928. 1,662,990

H. A. THOMPSON RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed March 1, 1927 INVENTORZ HfihT/vorn m n UNITED sures rarely critics.

. HOWARDA. THOMPSON, 0F EDGEWOOD BOROUGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OFSWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CDRPORA- TION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY-TRAFFIC-CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

Application filed. March 1, 1927.

My invention relates to railway tralfic controlling apparatus, and. particularly to apparatus of the type wherein train governing current is supplied ,to the track rails for thecontrol of governing means on the train. More particularly my present invention relates to the trackway portion of such apparatus.

I will describe one form of railway traffic controlling apparatus embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel fatures thereof in claims.

The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic viewshowing one form of embodying my invent-ion.

Referring to the drawing, the reference characters land 1 designate the trackrails of a railway track along which .tralfic nor mally moves in the direction indicated by the arrow. sulated joints 2 into a plurality of blocks AB, 'BD, etc., of which only'one complete block A-B. is shown in the drawing. This block AB is further divided by in sulated joints 2 into a rear section AX and a forward section X'B, but block BD is not so divided.

Each section of the block AB is provided with a track relay, the relay :for the rear section being designated R and the relay for the forward section being designated R Block BD is likewise provided with a track relay R Each track relay comprises a winding 3 connectedacross the rails .of the associated section or block, and a winding 4 constantly supplied with 'alternating current from the secondary 19 of a transformer designated by the reference character L with a distinguishing exponent. The primary 18 of each transformer L is constantly supplied with alternating current from a transmission line 20. Alternating track circuit current is supplied to the rails of each section and block for the energization of track relay winding 3 in the manner hereinafter explained. For present purposes it will be sufiicient to state that each track relay is closed when the associated section or block is unoccupied, and is open when the section or block is occupied.

Each block is provided with a .distant relay designated by the reference character E with an exponentcorresponding to the location. Referring to relay Efi the winding apparatus These rails are divided by in- Serial No. 171,737.

forthis relay is from secondary 19 of transwire 84, contact 85-01 track relay R wire 86, contact '87 of track relay R and wire 55 to secondary 19 of transformer L follows that relay E 'isclosed when track relays R and R are both closed, andopen when either of these track relays-is open.

Located at the point X is a relay L, the winding of which is connected by wires 92 and 93 with the wires 83 and 84 in thec'ircuit for relay E It follows therefore that when section XB and block B-D are unoccupied, relay F Will 'be energized, but that it will be de-energized when either track relay R or R is open.

Located at the point A is a home relay H, the circuit for which passes from the secondary 19 of transformer L through wires 38 and 68, front contact =69 of track relay R wire 70,-contact 71 of track relay R wire v72, winding of relay H wire 7 3, front conta'ctf'll of track relay R wire 7 5., contact 76 of track relay R andwires- 77 and 41 to the secondary '19 of transformer L It will be seen, therefore, that relay H is energizedwhen both track relays R and E areclosed, but de-energized when either of these track relaysisopen. Block BD is not provided with a home relay because this "block comprises only one section and so the track relay R functions as a home relay.

Each section and each block is provided with a three-position repeater relay designated by the reference character P with an exponent corresponding to the location. Each relay P comprises a winding 12 constantly supplied with alternating current from the secondary 19 of the associated transformer L, and a second winding 13.

Referring particularly to repeater relay P winding 13 of this relay is supplied with alternating current from a transformer located at thepoint A, the primary -22-of which transformer, is constantly connected with the secondary 19 of transformer L The right-hand terminal, of winding 1'3'of cording 'as track relay B wire 27, winding 13 point of secondary 23. It follows that alternating current of one relative polarity or the other will be supplied to'winding 13 acclosed or open. When track relay R is closed, winding 13 is energized with current of what 1 will term normal relative polarity and contact fingers 40, 50 and 31 of relay P are then swung to their left-hand positions. When track relay R is open, winding 13 is supplied with alternating current of what I will term reverse relative polarity, so that the contacts of relay P are swung to their right-hand positions.

Referring now to relay the righthand terminal of winding 13 is connected with the mid. point of secondary of transformer G through wire 29, whereas the left-hand terminal of winding 13 is connected with secondary 23 through a path which includes contact 33 of track relay R and which at times includes contact 31 of repeater relay P When track'relay E is closed and repeater relay P? is energized in thenormal direction, the circuit for winding 13 of relay P is irom the lower terminal of secondary 23 of transformer G through wire 30, normal contact 31 of relay P wire 32, front contact 33 of track relay R wire 34, winding 13 of relay P and wire 29 to the mid point of secondary 23. Repeater relay P is then energized in the normal direction. If relay P is energized in the reverse direction, however, whilerelay R is closed, the circuit for winding 13.0f relay P open at contact 31, so that this relay is de energized with the result that its back or intermediate contacts are closed. vVhen track relay R is open, the circuit for winding 13 of vrelay P is from the upper terminal of secondary 23 of transformer G through wire 35, back contact 33 of track relay R wire 34, winding 13 and wire 29 to the mid point of secondary 23. The current which is then supplied to winding 13 is of reverse relative polarity, so that the contacts of re lay II? are swung to their right-hand positions.

Current is supplied to the track rails of each'section and each block by a transformer designated by the reference character T with an exponent corresponding to the location. Secondary 3! of each transformer T and wire 24 to the mid 7 wire 39, primary 36 of transformer T and wire 38 to secondary 19 of transformer L Uninterrupted alternating current is then supplied to the rails of section A-X-, so that track relay R is closed. If relay P is energized in the reverse direction, however, this circuit for primary 36 of transformer T? is open at contact 40, and the supply of alternating current to primary 36 is periodically interruptedby a coding ,device C This coding device comprises a mo tor 5 operating a plurality of cams 6 and 7, which cams control contacts 9 and 10 r'espec tively. When relay P is energized in the reverse direction, the motor 5 of the coding device C is energized by a circuit which passes from the secondary 19 of transformer L through wires 41 and 51, reverse contacts 50 of relay P wire 49, windings of motor 5 and wires 48 and 38 to the secondary 19 of transformer L Assuming that relays R and L are both closed, the circuit for the primary of transformer T is from the secondary 19 of transformer L through wires 41 and 67, wire 47, contact 10 of coding device C Wire 46, front contact 53 of relay L wire 44, front contact 43 of track relay R wire 42, reverse contact 40 of relay P wire 39, primary 36 of transformer T and wire 38 to secondary 19 of transformer L Owing to the periodic operation of contact 10 by cam 7 of the coding device C fl the alternating current thus supplied to'transformer T? will be periodically interrupted for the purpose of controlling suitable traincarried governing apparatus which forms no 3 part of my present invention. If track relay R is closed, and relay L is open, the

circuit for the primary of transformer T will include contact 9 of the coding device C and the back pointof contact 53 of relay L This latter circuit has nothing to do with my present invention except in so far .as it includes reverse contact 40 of relay P and, consequently, it is not traced in detail herein. v

Referring now to transformer T uninterrupted alternating current is supplied to the primary 36 of this transformer when relay l? is energized in the normal direction and also when this relay is de-energized, the circuit being from the secondary 19 oftransformer L through wires 55 and 68, contact 40 of relay P in the normal or the de-enei 21 is extinguished.

gized position, wire'39, primary 36 of transformer T andwire 66 to secondary 19 of "transformer L l/Vhen relay P is energized have nothing to do with my present invention except in so far as they include the contact 40 of relay P in its reverse position. These circuits are therefore not traced in detail herein.

Located at the entrance end of each block is a signal designated by the reference character S with an exponent corresponding to the location, each of which signals in the form here shown comprises a proceed lamp 21 a caution lamp 21 and a sto lamp 21 Referring particularly to signal the circuit for the proceed lamp 21 is from the secondary 19 of transformer L through Wire 55, front contact 57 of track relay R wire 58, front contact 59 of relay E wire 62, lamp 21 wire 63, contact 64 of relay P in the reverse or the de-energized position, and wires 65 and 66 to secondary 19 of transformer L It will be noted that this circuit includes contact 64 of relay P, which contact is open when the relay is energized in its normal direction so that normally lamp The circuit for each of the remaining lamps of signal S includes contact 64 of relay P so that none of the lamps of this signal are lighted when relay P is energized in the normal direction. The circuits for lamps 21 and 21 are not traced herein because they form no part of my present invention except in so far as they are controlled by contact 64 of relay P The circuits for signal S are similar to those for signal S except that they are controlled by relay H instead of the track relay R The circuit for each lamp in signal S is controlled by contact 64 of relay P in the same manner that the circuits for signal S are controlled by contact 64 of relay P When the track is unoccupied, each relay P is enegized in the normal direction, so that uninterrupted alternating current is supplied to the track rails and all the lamps of each signal are extinguished. When a train passes point A, it opens track relay R thereby reversing at contact 26 the relative polarity of the current supplied to winding 13 of relay P so that this relay reverses. Periodically interrupted alternating current is then supplied to the rails of section A-X I of said section when the repeater relay 1S through one of the contacts of the coding device C The circuit for winding 13 of relay P is opened at contact 31 of relay P", so

that the contacts of relay P assume their intermediate positions. One .or another of the lamps of signal "S then becomes lighted through contact 64 .of relay P Zbut the sup ply of track circuit current to section-.X-B is still uninterrupted. When the train enters section XB it opens track relay LR so that current of reverse relative polarity is supplied to winding 13 of relay P through back contact 33 of track relay R Relay P is therefore energized in the reverse direction, so that the supply :of :uninterruptcd alternating currentrto the rails/of section X-B is discontinued and'periodically interrupted alternatingicurrent is supplied to the rails of this section .throughlone or the other of the contacts of the coding device C 1 Although I have herein shown and described only one form of apparatus embodying my invention,- 1t 1s understood :that various changes and modificatlons may be made therein within the scope 'ozfrthe appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described :my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, a stretch of railway track divided lnto a rear and a forward block, the rear block being further'divided into a rear and a forward section, a normally closed track relay for each section, a three-position repeater relay for each section, means controlled by each repeater relay for supplying the associated section with ui'iinterrupted alternating track circuit current when the relay is energized in normal direction and when it is de-energized and with periodically interrupted alternating I current for automatic train control purposes when the relay is energized in reverse direction, a signal for said forward block, means for opening all circuits for said signal when the repeater relay for the forward section is energized in normal direction and for permitting them to be closed when the relay is energized in reverse direction and when it is de-energized, means for energizing each repeater relay in normal or reverse direction according as the track relay for the corresponding section is closed or open, and

means for de-energizingthe repeater relay for the forward section when the repeater relay for the rear section is energized inthe reverse direction and the track relay for the forward section is closed.

2,111 combination, a section of railway tracln'a normally closed track relay for said section, a three-position repeater relay for said section, means controlled by said repeater relay for supplying uninterrupted alternating track circuit current to the rails energized in normal direction and for supplying periodically interrupted alternating current to the rails of the section for autointo a rear and a'forward section, a normally closed track relay for each section, a three-position repeater relay for each section, means controlled by each repeater relay for supplying the associated section with uninterrupted alternating track circuit current when the relay is energlzed in normal direction. and when it is de-energized and with periodically interrupted alternating current for automatic train control purposes when the relay is energized in reverse direction, means for energizing each repeater relay in normal or reverse direction according as the track relay for the corresponding section 1s closed or open, means for 'de-energmmg the repeater relay for the forward section when the repeater relayfor the rear section is energized in the reverse direction and the track relay for the forward section is closed, and a signal for the forward block approach-controlled through a reverse contact and also through a back contact of the repeater relay for the forward section of the rear block.

4. In combination, a section of railway track, a normally closed track relay for said section a three-position repeater relay for said section, means controlled. by said repeater relay for supplying uninterrupted alternating track circuit current to the rails of said section when the repeater relay is energized in normal direction and for supplying periodically interrupted alternating current to the rails of the section for automatic train control purposes when the repeater relay is energized in reverse direction, said repeater relay having two windings one of which is constantly supplied with alternating current of fixed relative polarity, a transformer the primary of which is constantly supplied with alternating current of fixed relative polarity, means for constantly connecting one terminal of the remaining winding of said repeater relay'witha mid point in the secondary of said transformerpand means for connecting the other terminal of said remaining winding with one terminal of said secondary through a front contact of said track relay and with the other terminal of said secondary through a back contact of said track relay, whereby said repeater relay is energizedin normal or reverse direction according as said track relay is closed or open.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

' HOWARD A. THOMPSON. 

